India Working On 'Well-Calibrated' AI Law, Studying US And EU Models: MeitY Secretary

India is working on a carefully calibrated regulatory framework for artificial intelligence that balances innovation with safeguards, drawing lessons from evolving approaches in the US, Europe and other global forums, Electronics & IT Secretary S Krishnan told NDTV Profit.

As AI capabilities accelerate globally, governments are grappling with how to regulate powerful foundation models without stifling innovation. India, too, is weighing its options as it rolls out the IndiaAI Mission, expands public AI infrastructure and pushes for indigenous AI development.

Krishnan said there is now broad global acceptance that AI cannot remain completely unregulated.

"Globally, there's a belief that AI needs to be regulated. The loudest voice against AI regulation was from the US, but today they're regulating access to certain frontier models. That itself shows how the thinking has evolved," he said.

He said India is studying how different jurisdictions are approaching AI governance while ensuring any domestic framework remains proportionate and future-proof.

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"Our response has to be a well-calibrated set of rules. We need safeguards and guardrails that AI platforms must follow, but at the same time regulation shouldn't stifle innovation," he said.

Krishnan acknowledged that drafting AI legislation presents unique challenges because of the pace at which the technology is evolving.

"The law has to keep pace with technology. That's a fine line we need to tread and designing such a framework is a challenge. It will take some time."

India has been actively participating in international discussions on AI governance, including engagements with the European Union and the US-led Pax Silica initiative, where issues ranging from AI infrastructure and compute access to responsible AI development have figured prominently.

"We're part of various global fora looking at these issues and we've exchanged notes with countries and blocs including the EU and Pax Silica on what AI regulation could look like," Krishnan said.

The government has repeatedly maintained that India does not want to replicate either the European Union's highly prescriptive AI Act or the relatively light-touch approach initially adopted by the US. Instead, officials have indicated that India's framework will seek to address risks posed by frontier AI models while preserving room for startups and innovation.

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The comments come as India prepares the next phase of its AI policy, with work underway on indigenous foundation models, public AI compute infrastructure and sector-specific AI deployments.

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